By Dave King, Rotary Great Britain and Ireland
Photos: Peter Croan
The Newcastle United and Brazilian footballer Mirandinha helped with the launch of a new initiative at the Rotary Action Summit in Newcastle, UK, to create awareness around Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign.
It was 37 years ago when Mirandinha became the first Brazilian to play in English football and in November he returned to Tyneside with a new goal – to eradicate polio worldwide.
In collaboration with Rotary International, Mirandinha’s charitable initiative ‘Players for Good’ aims to harness the power of football’s influence in the fight against polio.
“I have seen how football has the power to inspire and unite people from all backgrounds,” said Mirandinha. “If we can harness that passion and direct it towards eradicating polio, we can achieve something truly historic. This partnership with Rotary is the first step.”
PICTURED: Mirandinha helped launch a new initiative to create awareness around Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign.
Mirandinha was a popular figure on Tyneside, where he spent two seasons with Newcastle United following a landmark transfer from Palmeiras. He was at the club at the same time as the legendary Paul Gascoigne, who became a close friend.
“Gazza taught me English, and a few swear words,” he told the audience at the Crowne Plaza Stephenson Quarter, which hosted the three-day summit on November 8-10, 2024.
Now, using the vast network built during his decades in the game, Mirandinha’s mission is to rally support from football players, clubs and fans to take on one of humanity’s last great health challenges.
Mirandinha was joined on stage by Humberto Silva, a Rotarian from Rio de Janeiro who was his manager when he signed for Newcastle United, and compatriot Mário César Martins de Camargo, who takes up the role of Rotary International President from July 2025.
Humberto, who founded the Rotary Action Group For Hepatitis Eradication, revealed that as part of this initiative, Players for Good and Rotary are working towards an ambitious target: to designate End Polio Now as the official cause of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which takes place in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Mário revealed that a memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Brazilian Football Association to support the polio initiative, and it is hoped that Premier League and Football League clubs in England will support the cause.
“The idea was to showcase the End Polio Now campaign in football stadiums because we have to appeal to a broader audience,” he said. “What is more global than football?
PICTURED: Mirandinha was joined on stage by his former manager Humberto Silva and compatriot Mário César Martins de Camargo, who takes up the role of Rotary International President from July this year.
“Over the past couple of weekends, End Polio Now has featured in some of the stadiums in Brazil with crowds of up to 55,000 people. In Uruguay, at Penarol, the players there featured our End Polio Now campaign.”
Mário admitted that when he knew he was visiting Newcastle for the Rotary Action Summit and the connection with Mirandinha, it was a natural fit to promote the idea on Tyneside.
“When the stars are aligned, we should listen and take advantage of it,” he pointed out.
They are also looking to spread the sporting reach by getting world cricket on board, particularly in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the sport is so popular.
Humberto added: “We know FIFA, the governing body of football, already has an official cause for children’s rights, but we would like to be a part of that.
“We also want to involve cricket, which would allow us to break into the difficult territories of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Let me tell you, when people are so resistant to letting our health care providers vaccinate the children, I think through the passion of sports we can do it. I like the slogan ‘Healthy legs give you the game’.
Let’s help children walk, run and dream.”
Since Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative more than 30 years ago, the incidence of polio has plummeted by 99.99 per cent from about 350,000 cases a year in 125 countries, to
93 in 2024.
The disease remains endemic in only two countries; Afghanistan and Pakistan, however, continued vaccination efforts are required around the world to make polio just the second disease ever to be eradicated by mankind, after smallpox.
During his trip to Newcastle, Mirandinha visited Newcastle United’s ground at St James’s Park and also the training ground where he was warmly welcomed by players and fans.
“I feel this is a very important moment in my life,” he said. “I scored 665 goals in my football career, but no goal is more important than the one I am scoring today for polio.”
MAIN PICTURE: Newcastle United and Brazilian footballer Mirandinha, left, with his former manager Humberto Silva, a Rotarian from Rio de Janeiro. (Photos: Peter Croan)